Designed like a hood, and made of a super-strong nylon fabric, Hövding protects nearly all of the head, but doesn’t obstruct your field of vision. The unique airbag was developed in collaboration with airbag manufacturer Alva Sweden and is the result of intensive research and development.
Thousands of cycling accidents were re-enacted using stunt riders and crash-test dummies to collect the specific movement patterns of cyclists in accidents. The inflated airbag protects a much larger area than a traditional cycle helmet. The design of the Hövding airbag is calibrated according to current accident statistics. It provides the greatest protection where it is most needed- the airbag provides extremely soft and gentle shock absorption. It also protects against multiple head impacts during the same accident by keeping the pressure constant for several seconds. To get the Hövding on, just place it around your neck and pull the zip up under your chin. Make sure the zip is closed completely. The on/off switch on the zip tag activates Hövding when it’s attached to the right-hand side of the collar. To turn it off, unclip the on/off button. LEDs on the front of the collar indicate the battery level and if Hövding is on or off. On/off is also indicated by a sound signal. You also charge your Hövding using an ordinary mobile phone charger with a micro USB connector.
The collar is made of a functional waterproof fabric that provides the best possible protection for the built-in airbag system. The collar is protected from wear, sweat and dirt by the surrounding fabric shell. You can use a damp cloth to rub any dirt off the collar. The collar is ergonomically designed- heavier at the back than at the front so that the weight rests on your back when cycling.
Thousands of cycling accidents were re-enacted using stunt riders and crash-test dummies to collect the specific movement patterns of cyclists in accidents. Data was also collected for cycling accidents as well as regular cycling movement patterns. These different sets of data were used to create an algorithm to distinguish between normal cycling and accidents – so there is no danger of the airbag deploying at the wrong time.
